Author's Note: Hello! This is a short oneshot I wrote for ftfanfics's "Speechless" challenge (Tumblr). There is no dialogue in this piece and it includes two characters, as were the rules, and I actually wrote something shorter than a thousand words for once! The prompt emotion is: scabulous; proud of a scar on your body.

I actually cut a lot out because of the word limit, so I'm not sure if it sounds choppy or not. Also, beware of editing mistakes!

Note: I imagined this to be a few years ahead of the current point in the manga/anime, where Wendy is a teenage girl/young woman. Also, the Exceeds don't make an appearance in this, so you can pretend they're off visiting the other Exceeds or something if you like.

There are no spoilers.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything recognizable. Just the writing.

Battle Scars

The first wound Wendy received that was serious enough that her teammates fussed over for days afterward had been a miscalculation on her part. It was the worst injury she had ever been dealt up until that point.

Perhaps it had been because she had been overconfident, or maybe it was that her teammates' reckless habits had somehow rubbed off on her, that she sustained such a wound. Either way, when she had gone out on an S-Class mission with her team and they gotten separated, one of the enemy's attacks had slipped through her defences.

The sharp edge of her attacker's slim dagger had sliced across her left upper arm, a spray of bright red blood following in its wake. She could feel blood streaming down her arm and without the howl of her wind, she could hear it as it rolled down her fingers and dripped onto the ground.

Wendy hadn't dared look, not when the enemy was still standing in front of her. Even though sharp jolts of pain lanced upwards from the wound, halfway through a battle wasn't a time to groan in pain. She was a Fairy Tail wizard, and she had a job to finish.

Finish the job she did, though by the time the enemy had fallen, she almost did as well. She forced herself upright and moved back to where they had separated, calling their names weakly.

It was quite lucky that Natsu had not been too far. He found her a minute after, having been drawn into a run by the smell of her blood and weak voice as he frantically tore through forest undergrowth. He had sworn quite colourfully when he found her. He had laid her on the ground, screaming out the names of the three other wizards as he scanned her wounds.

One look was all it took for him to understand. He brought his flaming hand to her arm with a pained look but she didn't feel the searing pain of fire as he whispered soothing words, lulling her into unconsciousness.

Now, Wendy sat on a bed in the guild hall's infirmary days after the incident. She had lost a lot of blood and had been out for two days. She sat alone in the white large white walled room with equally white curtains draw around her bed, wrapped up in the battle of days before. She remembered everything vividly, could still feel the slick red liquid run down her arms in rushing rivulets.

Her body didn't hurt as much as she expected, for merely two days after such serious injuries. Another intake of air told her the answer: Sherria had healed her. Wendy smiled. Though, her legs and arms were still wrapped in bandages despite the magic healing. She supposed that not even Sherria's magical ability could completely heal her wounds.

Wendy closed her eyes, breathed out and slowly unwrapped the bandage covering the wound on her left arm. She hesitantly looked to her arm, brown eyes full of trepidation. What greeted her was the sight of the partially healed gash on her arm. She let out a long breath of resignation.

It was slightly jagged and ripped right across her left bicep, as clear as day for anyone to see. How was she supposed to wear dresses now? Short sleeved shirts? It would be so easy for someone to accidentally see the ugly scar that would no doubt form. They would think it to be ugly. They would sneer and point at her, saying how unsightly it was, especially for a young woman to sport such a mark. They would –

A warm hand landed on her shoulder. Wendy felt Natsu standing before her, smiling down at her encouragingly. She could see a touch of guilt and apology in his sharp green eyes as he stared down at her fiercely. Wendy waited for him to comment on her wound.

She cast her eyes away. As her gaze travelled down, she caught sight of the scar on Natsu's neck. There was one on his arm as well as the large star shaped scar at his left hipbone.

Natsu continued his spell of silence. Wendy stared at his scar, and after a moment, realized something. Gray had clearly visible scars that he wasn't afraid of showing. Natsu had scars on his body that he didn't bother hiding. They didn't hide them because they were proud of their scars. They were like a badge of battle. They were a reminder of the hardships they had overcome. Their scars were mementos of events they had been through; proof that they had been strong enough to survive what had been thrown at them. They wore their scars like badges of honour.

Was she really any different? Though this wound will scar, how much of a negative difference would it make? Why should she hide the thing that proved herself? The battle had been difficult but she managed to complete her task anyway, despite her extensive injuries. This would-be scar showed her resilience and accomplishments.

Wendy looked to her arm and traced a gentle finger along the healing cut. It would scar alright, but that was nothing to be afraid of. It was a testament to the things she had endured. It held reminders of the things she had overcome. She had no reason to be ashamed.

She looked back up at Natsu, with unspoken gratitude in her eyes; for saving her, for giving her insight, for taking care of her. He looked back with pride in his eyes and smiled brightly.

Seeing that Natsu was proud of her, Wendy felt the same emotion well up in her. The scar was representative of something she had overcome, and she would wear it with pride.

Thanks for reading! Tell me how I did if you feel so inclined!